Friction hinge



sept. 16, 1952 R D BECKEF; 2,610,355

FRICTION HINGE Filed Feb. 25, 1948 ylllllllla INVENToR. Pff/1 /P D. BECKER A r TOR/VE Y Patented Sept. 16, 1952 vrmctrIoN HINGE Philip `D. Becker, Hingham, Mass., assignor to Fastenerforporation, Cambridge,

AUnited-Carr Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 25, 194s, serial' Np. 10,630-

The present invention relates to pivotalmoun'tings, particularly those adaptable for use in pivotally connecting an eye shield and the like to a support such as a cap vizor, and aims generally to improve existing mountings of that type.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of an improved and simplified pivotal mounting particularly adaptable for connecting an eye shield or the like to a support, such as a cap vizor, which mounting will be economical to manufacture and emcient in use.

Other aims and objects of the invention will .be apparent to persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates, from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and annexed specication illustrating and describing a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings- Y Fig. 1 is a side elevation illustrating one application of the pivotal mounting of the present invention, namely to pivotally connect an eye shield to a cap vzor;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the installation shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan View of a pivotal mounting embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View as taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view as taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 6, showing the fastener member attached to a part to be supported;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the fastener member of the mounting; and

Fig. '1 is a greatly enlarged view illustrating the relation of the curvature of the fastener seats to the curvature of the spherical head of vthe supporting part.

Referring to the drawings, the pivotal mounting of the invention advantageously may be employed for pivotally mounting an eye shield I of suitable sheet material, to a support such as the vizor 2 of a cap 3 though it will be understood that the invention is not restricted to such use.

The pivotal mounting of the present invention comprises a post adapted to be securely attached to a support, for example the cap vizor 2 of the `illustrated embodiment, and a fastener member secured to the part to be supported, for example the eye shield I, the fastener member being adapted to be snapped into secured pivotal contact with said post.

In the preferred embodiment, the post 5 is of hollow sheet metal construction having a supportengaging base or ange 6, a reduced neck I and an enlarged spherical head 8 formed integrally y the base and disposed normal tlnereto.

post .may be securelyattached to the support' 2 by means fof a tubulanrivet or eyelet havinglxa shank 9 and flanged head I0, the shank 9 extending through the support 2, neck 1 and into the hollow head 8 from the opposite side of the support. The shank 9 of the eyelet or rivet is of suicient length that its end will be upset within the spherical head 8 upon application of compressive forces applied to the head 8 and flange I9, as shown in Fig. 4, thus securely attaching the post 5 to the support 2.

The fastener member I5 is adapted to be secured to the part to be supported, for example the eye shield I, and preferably comprises a relatively flat part-engaging base I6 and a pair of opposed integral fastener arms I'I extending laterally beyond the base I6 and disposed in planes at right angles thereto, as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6. The base I6 may be provided with an aperture I8 for the reception of an eyelet or rivet I9 for securing the part I thereto, and may also be formed with an angularly turned stop 20 to be engaged by an edge of the part I and thus accurately position the part I relative to the fastener I5 and the pivotal axis of the mounting.

The end portions of the fastener arms I'I are provided with concaved seats 2| for the reception of convexed surfaces of the spherical head 8 and the marginal rim 22 of the arms I1 beyond the seats 2l are preferably concentric therewith so as not to interfere with the pivotal action of the fastener I5. Sections 23 of the rims 22 may be outwardly flared to provide an entering throat to facilitate snapping the fastener I5 upon the spherical head 8 of the post 5.

The fastener I5 preferably is formed of spring sheet metal so that the arms I1 are resilient yet possess a sufficient degree of stiffness to provide high tensional engagement with the head 8 and thus retain the fastener in the desired pivotal position. Preferably the arms I'I converge from the base I6 toward the opposed seats 2I, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the seats will engage the head 8 under considerable tension when the fastener is snapped thereon. Additionally, the fastener I5 may be formed of 40-50 carbon steelA and heattreated for added stiffness. Normally the fastener arms grip the spherical head 8 under such high tension that the fastener cannot be readily removed from the post manually, except by means of some special tool for that purpose.

Because of the high tensioned engagement between the head 8 and the seats 2l of the arms I'I, it is desirable that the area of contact be reduced as much as is practicable. In the illustrated and preferred embodiment it is desired that the area of contact be restricted to an annular line or ring contact and preferably this may be accomplished by curving the concaved face of the seats 2| on a smaller radius R1 than the radius R2 of the convexed surface of the spherical head as shown inFig.'7f.'.r I; 'y

A1though--I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, I do not intend to be restricted to the details thereof as-=` the scope of the invention is best defined-,inthe appended claim.

I claim:

A ball and socket type mountingfors'movaf-blyg'-,v connecting a part to a support comprisingapost having a support-engaging'ange adapted;

to be secured to a support and having a hollow spherical head adapted to receive an attaehingmember, a fastener member having a relatively nat base. portion adapted tobe securedgto. aipartgto befsupported; a pair of'gspaced.angessecuredi to saidibase portion and 1 extending" beyonchan; edge 4 thereof providing freely extending resilient end portions thereon, said end portions having opposed concave seats therein engaging opposed conveXed surfaces of said spherical head, the radius of curvature of said seats being less than the radius of curvature of said head whereby said end portions resiliently engage said head through opposed annularlines `of-:contact I i A PHILIP D'. BECKER.

REFERENCES CITED Theollowing references are of record in the :tile of this patent:

' "UNi-TED-STATES PATENTS Y Reiter --.di Dec. 12,V 1950 

